Supreme Court extends deadline for Aadhaar linking till verdict

The apex court, however, said Aadhaar for direct benefit transfers will continue to be mandatory

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New Delhi: In a huge relief to the comman man, the Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the March 31 deadline for linking of various services and welfare schemes with Aadhaar till it delivers its judgement on its constitutional validity of the biometrical identification scheme.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, however, said Aadhaar will continue to be mandatory for direct benefit transfers under social welfare schemes.

"The government cannot insist for mandatory Aadhaar even for issuance of Tatkal passport," the apex court said.

"We direct that the March 31, 2018, deadline for linking of Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes stand extended till the matter is heard and judgement is pronounced by the constitution bench," the five-judge Constitution bench said.

The extension of deadline would also apply on the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with the bank accounts and mobile phone numbers.

Earlier, the Narendra Modi-led government had told the apex court that it might extend the March 31 deadline to link Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes. The Centre had said that since some more time would be needed to conclude the prolonged hearing in the Aadhaar case, the government may extend the deadline from March 31.

Earlier, senior advocate Shyam Divan, who had led the arguments challenging Aadhaar and its enabling Act, said that the deadline of March 31 be extended as it was highly unlikely that the hearing in the case challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act will be concluded.

On December 15 last year, the apex court had directed the extension of deadline till March 31 for the linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phones.